MPs, MLAs vote to elect 14th President of India

New Delhi, July 17 (IANS) Parliamentarians and legislators across India began voting on Monday to elect the country’s 14th President in a direct contest between ruling NDA candidate Ram Nath Kovind and opposition-backed Meira Kumar.

Polling to choose the successor of incumbent Pranab Mukherjee, who demits office on July 25, started simultaneously in the national and state capitals at 10 a.m.

All elected MPs and MLAs are eligible to cast their vote. The voting is through secret ballot.

As voting picked up, many MPs, including women members, were seen queuing up in Parliament House outside the polling booth in Room No 62 for the voting that ends at 5 p.m.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah were among the first to cast their votes in Parliament.